Signal for railroad crossings



Jan. 8, 1929. 1,698,410

F; w. MCFARLAND ErAL Q SIGNAL FOR RAILROAD CROSSINGS Filed Oct 26', 192? 4 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS fi l/r04; M/V-WeM/Ya ATTORNEY Jan; 8, 1929.

F. W. MCFARLAND ET AL SIGNAL FOR RAILROAD CROSSINGS Filed Oct. 26, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 F; W. M FARLAND ET AL SIGNAL FOR RAILROAIS CROSSINGS Filed'Oct. 26, 1927 4 Sheets-$heet W. MAN 7 m4 Y, m n. an Q. MM QN \m v. & W H C a A v Q \N mv K\ N QN Q Hi H ,1 I mm f .1. all\. k v w N mm latented Jan. 8, 1929. 1 c I 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

simmers w. Mar manu e! MARTINEZ, am) WILLIAM R. 1 LONG, orf'nay POINT,

Carina-01mm;

SIGNAL son RAILROAD onossmes, Application flle'd October 26, 1927. serial No. 228,763.

The invention forming the subject matter limit ourselves to the embodiment disclosed of this application relates to combined signals In said description and the drawings as we and gates for railroad crossings that are aumay adopt variations of our preferred form tomatically actuated by, the approaching wIthIn the scope t our invention as set forth train. in the clau'ns. 60

The primary object of this invention is the The Invention is clearly illustrated in the prov' ion of a combined crossing gate and iwcgnlpanying drawings, in which, railroad signal that is actuated y the apa I 1gure 1,1saperspect1ve iront view offa preaching train so that the signal is con- ,l'mlroad crossing showing the signals and lo spicuous and provides'anetl'ective warning at gates arranged on the opposite sides of the as about the level of the drivers eye, and at the lroad tracks, and the highway same time functions as a ate, for obstructing I igure '2, s a side elevation of the gate in the trafiic side of the big iway. the housing, showing the gate actuating inech- Another object of the invention is to proanls n 1n closed position, V I vide a combination signal and gate which obg d S a f ont new of B igure 2 show 70 HMS the i h f way on a hi h d ing the slot in the housing through which to provide a lon itudinal partition in the g Q Y center line thercot for preventing. any auto- Flame 4 fi ll 8 t 0l1 f the gate mobile or other vehicle to leave thetraflic and the actuating mechanisms therefor,

0 side'of the highway, thereby permitting the g .5 1s a se lonal detail view of the 75 obstruction of the ri ht of we leading tox liary Signal light anclbell, ward the railroad trae s,nevert eless permitl! "'u ro 6 1s :1 wiring diagram of the com" ting unobstructed travel away from therailblue 4 gm n gfl' Toad trad ()ur device is installed at highway cross A f th bj t Qfthe i ti i t ings denoted by the numeral 1, railroad tracks so vide a signal light and a signal hell that tune are designated by the numeral 23 A part ti t a ti previous t the operation f tion ilfiplOVHlCtl on both s des of the cross 1 th t it li Th i l nd th b ll r ings disposed at about theiniddle of the highalso actuated by the approaching train. way for separating the right of Way for ap- Anoth r obj ct f th i ti i t preaching vehicles so that the motor vehicles 85 vide 31, combined Crossing gate and raihkmd are forced to l(0()]) tllOlI' COUISQ. on the Ilgllh signal that is readily actuated by a train aps f he highway. A crossing gate 4 1S py'naching fy-mn either direction on any, one lllSlfllltd at each Sl(l( 0f the CXOSSlIlg in the of the railroad tracks, and which is operating direction of the'approaching trafiic.

during the full length of the travel of the The gate 4 comprises a casin 5 in which 00 train on the section of the track adjacent to a vertical shaft {3 and a guide are fixedly the highway crossing. The period of operasecured in bearings 8 and 9 respectively. m f th i lli (rate 13 readily deter- Solenoids 10 are secured to the eas1ng'5 and ruined bythe length of the track sections conare insulated therefrom; 'Plungcrs 11 are acnected into the signal system. tuatcd by the solenoids 10 and are slidable on 5 Another object of this invention is to prothe shaft 8. Extension lugs 12 protrude from vide a combined highway gate and and crossthe plungers ll and are guided by the guide ing signal which is highly useful andsiinple rod 7. A plurality of bars 13 are pivotally in construction. Convenience of arrangesecured to each other at the crossing points ment, lightness, and comparative inexpense 14 and to the :uljacent'lnirs at the ends 15 of manufacture are further objects which thereof, forming a system of bars jointed in having been borne in mind in the production the manner of lazy tongs. Thebars which and development of our invention. are closest to the extension lugs 12 are also Other objects of the invention, together pivotally secured tocach other at the crossing with the foregoing, will be set forth in the point 1-l*and the ends thereof are p'ivotally 55 llUJZ. It is to be an erstood that we do not t9]? of the jointed following description of the preferred emsecured to the ends of the extension lugs 12. bodiment of means for practicingthe same, As it is shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 which is illustrated in the drawings accoinwhen the extension lugs'are brou htin a punying and loi'inin part-of the speci'ficaposition closest to each other the wiole sysars 13is pivoted around ,ing the word Stop'are secured to the center portion of the pivoted bar13, each letter 16 is secured to a separate pair of crossing bars 13 so that when the gate is closed the stop signal also extends across the highway at the level of the gate. The gate is closed by the action of the solenoids 10. When said solenoids are charged the plungers 11 are drawn therein guided on the shaft 6, thereby moving the extension lugs 12 toward each other and extending the gate across the road. A spring 17 is provided in each solenoid 10, one end thereof bearing against the wall of the solenoid,'the other end pressing against the plunger 11, so that when the' electric current is disconnected and the solenoid denmgnetized,

the action of the spring 17 returns the lungcrs '11 to the original position thereof t iereby opening the gate 13, as shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2.

Each of the railroad tracks 2 comprises two rails 18 and 19. The gate and the signals are actuated by the approaching train on either one of the tracks in thefollowing manner. The solenoids 10-0f each gate are directly connected to a terminal of the source of the electromotive force, such as a generator or the like, not shown. The connection .is effected throughthe wire 20. The other terminals of the solenoids 10 are connected to the rails 18. The rails 19 are directly connected to the other terminal of said generator or the like. The rail "18 and 19 are made of steel which is a conducting materialand suf iicient number of railroad sections are 'connccted so as to term continuous electric connection to a considerably large distance on eithersideoftherailroadcrossing. Thelength of the section's electrically charged maybe arbitrarily chosen according'to the local con ditions and according to the necessity ofthe period t-o-elapse betweenthe arrival of the train to the crossing and the closing of the gates. \Vhcnthe train reaches the electriealiy charged section of the railroad tracks 2 the electrical circuit between the rail 18. and

the rail 19 is immediately completed by the wheels of the train so that the electric current begins to. flow through the circuit from the wire 20 to the solenoids 10 then. to. track 18 through the wheels of the train to the rail- 19 then to the opposite terminal of the source of the electro1i'1 tivc force.- The current flowing through the solenoids 1O actuates the gate and the signal in 211113111101 heretofore described. tors 16 are also individually connected into The signal lights of the letcircuit to the solenoid circuit so thatwhen the approaching train com letes the electrical connection between the m 18 and 19 the lights ofthe letters 16 are immediately actuated. It is preferable to make the leta parallel ters 16 of the type of neon electric sign'or I any other ver conspicuous light whichjmay be seen at a vehicles.

istance and which readily attracts the attention of the drivers of motor In order to obviate the danger of any ve I hicle crashing into the gate, warning is given to the automobilists by means of a signallight 23 and a bell 24' disposed on opposite sides of-the crossings turned towards the right-of way of the approaching trafiic at a distance from the crossing gate. The signal 23 and thebell 24 are actuated by a separate I circuit whichlcomprises the electrical conmotion 25 directl connected to a terminal of' the light 23 an the bell 24, the other terminal thereof is secured to a line 26 connected to a rail Amther'milfis i connected to the opposite terminal of th dectrmmptive force. The section of the rails to wh'ch the bell 2 1 and the light 23 are connected is insulated from the section of the rails operas ingthe gate and the signal thereonr The length of these rail sectionslifia arbitrarily determined according to local conditions.

The housing 5 is so constructed as to com? I Qpletely shield the gate actuating echanism."

An extension casing 29 is 'prefera lyintegral ,with the housing 5 and is of suflic'ient length to cover all the bars 13 when e gate is co tracted. The extension casingi29 1s narrower than the housing ing 30 of such a size t to clearly move 'therethrough as shown in Fi ure 3.

5 providin an openat the gate is allowed signal light 31, preferably 'of blue color 7 is disposed on the housingand it IS turned toward the approachin train. The light 31 is actuated y a SWitfil 32 fixedly secured to the guide rod 7. i The upper lug12 is insulated from the rod 7 and carries a protrusion 33, which engages the switch 32,- when' the gate is closed as in Figure 2. A terminal 34 of said lug 12 is connected into the solenoid- 'circuit while the switch is connected in series with terminal of the light 31, the other terminal of said light completes the circuit-t0 the wire 20.

When the gate is completely closed the protrusion 33 closes the electric circuit through the switch 32 and actuates the blue light 31 indicating that the ate is closed. The light 31' may be dispose at'any coniii) venient point where it is readily noticed by the engineer of the approaching train, so-that the engineer kn'ows eitherthat the ate is closed or that it failed to function, v n the event of any trouble inathe gate mechanism the absence of the blue light warns the enginecr that the gate is outof order. 1

When a train approaches in either dire ion on the tltlt'h the Wheels on the train close the circuit of the signal light 23 and bell Zlthrough the rails 27 and 2a, thereby giving i'air warning to the driver of \(Bliltlts on the i:; ;'b\va v before the gate is closed. The train then passes on to the section of the tra k 2 which is r-oi'inected to the solenoids it) and closes the circuit ol said solenoids and the stop sign 17, thereby immediately actuatin'g the gate and the stop light. In the event'ot any automobile being caught inside of the gate on the railroad tracks, the driver still has a chance to drive across the track to the other section of the highway and to freely proceed on the highway because of the fact that the gates obstruct only the rightsicle of the highway on the side of the approaching t'railic While the opposite side thereof is entirely free from obstruction. It is evident that a large number of accidents are avoided by leaving the right of way free on the opposite sides of the gates so as to permit the ;t'ree travel of the vehicles away from the railroad tracks. When the gate is fully e.\'-' tended tlieblue signals the engineer oi the approaching train that the way is clear.

It. will be recognized that a particularly simple device is provided to give iair \varn ing to the drivers of motor vehicles on the highway at a point that is far enough from the railroad crossing to give the. driver an opportunity for slowing (lOWH before the gate closed. It is also to be noted that it' the driver passes the gate and the gate is closed behind the vehicle, the vehicle can still safely pass across the railroad tracks 2 and freely proceed on the unobstru'c ed section of the highway on the opposite side of the crossing. The length of the electrically charged section of the track 2 for operating the gate must be so deterniined'as to give sufficient time to a vehicle to travel across the railroad track 2 after the gate is closed, although most: of the time the auxiliary signals 23 and 24; must be sufficient warning for automobilists to slow down beforethe gate is closed. The device is ntirclyautomatic and is actuated by the approaching train and obviates the necessity of the manually operated railroad gates which proved to be dangerous and ineffective in many ways. The timing of the signs and the gate is accurate, the operationthereof is positive. The signal lights and letters are madevery eonspicuous by being extended across the road at; about the level of the drivers eyes. It is not necessary for thedriver to Watch for the signals above or'below the level of his eyes. i

The arrangement of the gates heretofore described greatly facilitates theregulation of the vehicle traffic at railroadcrossings. The device provided to accomplish the automatic operation of the gates andsignals'by means of the wheels of the approaching train,

titl

I claim: I

i. A "are at: a crossun ot' a hu hwav and a I "1 b m t railroad track SQt'tlOIl'; the gate compr 2g a housing, a highway obstruction, solenoids in said housing, and means to operatively connect said obstruction to the solenoids, said solenoids being in electrically operative relation to said track section and being actuated by a train thereon. I

gate at the crossing of a highway and a railroad i ng, a telescoping road obstruction, solenoids in said housing and means to operatively connect. said obstruction to said solenoids, said solenoidsbeing electricaily connected to said track soas to beactuated by an'approaclr ing train thereon.

ii. A gate at the crossing of a highway and a section of railroad rails, comprising a hour; ing, a telescoping highway obstruction, sole noids in'said housing, and means on said sole noids for operatively engaging said obstruction for transversely extending and contract ing the same on the right side of the hi way said solenoids being connected in series with one of said rails, the other rail being electri- Cally charged, so as to be actuated by train completing the connection between said rails.

track, the gate con'ipri-sing a hous lotion and sulli iltl l. A. gate at the crossing of a highway and i a section of railroad rails, comprising a houring, a telescoping highway obstr ction, sola noids in said housing, means on said solenoi s for operatively engaging said obstruction for transversely extending and contracting the same on the right side of the highway; said solenoids bein connected in series Wi. i one of said rails, t 1e other rail being elect caily charged, so as to be actuated by a ham cone I pleting the, connection between said rails, and a signal light on satid obstruction, movable therewith and connected in parallel to said solenoids.

5. A gate at the crossing of a highway and a section of railroad rails, ing, a telescoping highway obstruction, solenoids in said housing, means on said solenoids for operatively engaging said obstruction for transversely extending and contract ing the same on the right side of the highway; said solenoids being connected in series with one'of said rails, the other rail being electrically charged, so as to be actuated by ,a train completing the connection between said rails, a signal light on said obstruction, movable therewith and connected in parallel to said so enoids, a second section of rails, and insulated from said first section,;and a secondary comprising ahousfor opcratively engaging said obstruction for transversely extending and contracting the I samem the right side of the highway; said mlenoids being connected in series with one of said ails, the other rail being electrically charged, so as to be actuated by atrain complcting the connection between said rails, a signal light on said obstruction, movable therewith and connected'in parallel to saidsolenoids, a second section of rails, and insulated from said first section, a secondary signal connected in rails, the other rail being electrically charged; said secondary signal to he actuated by a train completing the connection between said rails previous to the operation of said gate,

and a third signal visible from the direction of said rails, being connected'in parallel in the solenoid circuit and being actuated by the 7 closed gate.

high way ohstruction solenoids in said housing, means on said solenoids series with one of said 7. A highway obstruction at the crossing of a section of railroad rails, said OlJSU'UQUQII comprising a housing, a telescoplng gate,

solenoids secured to the housing, plungers resiliently mounted in said solenoids; and means on sa d plungers for operatively engaging saidgate; said solenoids being connected in series to one of said rails, the other rail being electrically chargeth said solenoids to be actuated by a train on the rails, completing the connection between said rails.

8. A highway obstruction at the crossing of a section of railroad rails, said obstruction comprising a housing, a telesco -iing gate, solenoids secured to the housing, plungers resiliently mounted in said solenoids; means on said plungcrs for operatively engaging said gate; said solenoids being connected in series to (meet said rails, the other rail being electrically charged, said solenoids'to be actu ated by a train on the rails, connection between said rails, and partition on the highway, said gate approaching the railroad tracks,

n testimony whereof we aiiix oursignatures.

FRANCIS W. MGFARLAND, WILLIAM R. LONG,

completing the V to be disposed 'on a side of the partitionopposite the trailic- 

